March 2007

The city of Kawagoe is best known for its heavy warehouse style buildings (kurazukuri) located in Hon-Kawagoe. The cultural town is also famous for its Bell Tower, its wooden structure castle, the 538 stone statues of the disciples of Buddha at the Kitain temple, and the Flea Market held on the 28th of every month at the Ofudosan temple.

Next to the residence is a private museum displaying the art collection of Mr Gen-ichi Toyama. There are five exhibitions held every year: a doll collection, ceramics and paintings with flowers as theme, artifacts with the colour green as theme, artifacts with animals as theme, and the autumn-winter collection.

The doll festival (Hina Matsuri) is held in the month of March and the exhibit at the Toyama museum were Hina dolls, some dating to the late Edo period, 18th-19th century.